Written Answers Tuesday 12 April 2005

Scottish Executive

Alzheimer’s Disease

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of concerns of Alzheimer Scotland regarding National Institute for Clinical Excellence recommendations anent the continued use of donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine and memantine in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and, if so, how it will respond to these concerns.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Executive is aware of the concerns expressed by Alzheimer Scotland about the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) preliminary recommendations on the use of donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine and memantine in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

  NICE provides technology appraisal guidance for the NHS in England and Wales. In Scotland, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (QIS) is a consultee in the NICE consultation process. This allows NHS QIS to consider any specific implications arising from draft NICE guidance which will affect its use in Scotland. Because NHS QIS is involved in the NICE appraisal process, it allows them to issue advice to healthcare professionals in Scotland at the same time as the NICE guidance issues to healthcare professionals in England and Wales.

  NHS QIS is currently considering the draft NICE appraisal on donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine and memantine and have sought the views of a number of consultees in Scotland, including Alzheimer Scotland. These views will be reported to NICE.

  The NICE appraisal process involves a further consultation on their Final Appraisal Determination. At that stage, NHS QIS will seek further comments from their consultees about any important differences that may have an impact on the suitability of the final guidance for Scotland. NHS QIS will take these comments into account in assessing whether the final NICE guidance is valid for Scotland.

  Information about the NHS QIS process for commenting on NICE guidance can be accessed at: http://www.nhshealthquality.org/nhsqis/files/NICE%20Guidance%20process%20.pdf.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been commissioned to identify people who might benefit from (a) donepezil, (b) rivastigmine, (c) galantamine and (d) memantine.

Mr Andy Kerr: Donepezil, rivastigmine and galantamine are licensed for the treatment of mild to moderately severe dementia in Alzheimer’s disease.

  In 2001, the then Health Technology Board for Scotland (HTBS) (now part of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland), commented on an appraisal by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence on the use of these drugs. The HTBS estimated that, in Scotland, there were approximately 23,000 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Of those patients, 11,500 may be eligible for treatment and approximately 40% (4,600 patients) were expected to respond to treatment and to remain on treatment in the longer term. The comment can be accessed at www.nhshealthquality.org.

  Memantine is licensed for the treatment of moderately severe to severe dementia in Alzheimer’s disease.

  In August 2003, the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) undertook an assessment of memantine and advised that it was not recommended for use in NHSScotland. Following a resubmission by the manufacturer, the SMC assessed memantine again in December 2003 and on review of the evidence submitted by the manufacturer did not recommend it for use in NHSScotland. The SMC view is that the clinical trials for memantine have involved an extremely low number of patients and its effect on people with Alzheimer’s disease appeared to be marginal. The manufacturer failed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the product or identify a subgroup that might benefit from it. In addition, the economic case submitted by the manufacturer did not support a recommendation that use of this drug would be cost effective relative to standard practice in Scotland.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether reminyl and other drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease are to cease to be supplied under the NHS and, if so, what the reasons are for this decision.

Mr Andy Kerr: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently reviewing the clinical and economic evidence on the use of four drugs used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease – donepezil (Aricept), galantamine (Reminyl), rivastigmine (Exelon) and memantine (Ebixa).

  In Scotland, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) will consider any specific implications arising from the NICE guidance which will affect its use in Scotland.

  Until new guidance is issued to the NHS, not expected until October 2005, the existing guidance dating from 2001 on donepezil, galantamine and rivastigmine continues to apply. That guidance can be accessed at www.nhshealthquality.org.

  The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has assessed memantine in August and again in December 2003. The SMC advice can be accessed at www.scottishmedicines.org.

Ambulance Service

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation should be carried out before ambulance services are removed from a local area.

Mr Andy Kerr: I have been assured by the Scottish Ambulance Service that any proposals which would result in fundamental changes being made to the way in which it delivers its services would be discussed with the local health board, GPs and other stakeholders before any final decisions were made.

  The Scottish Ambulance Service constantly monitors its performance to ensure that resources meet demand effectively and efficiently. I understand that for one week in March the accident and emergency (A&E) ambulance from the Douglas station which was rostered on the night shift was strategically deployed so that it could respond to areas of high accident and emergency demand throughout South Lanarkshire, particularly in Lanark, Carluke and Larkhall. Additional night shift resources in the form of rapid response units were also deployed in Lanarkshire to support the response to Category A (life-threatening) calls. The A&E unit is now based back at the Douglas station.

Angling

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to measure the value of sea and inshore angling in the same way that the value of freshwater angling was measured in the 2004 research report, The Economic Impact of Game and Coarse Angling in Scotland.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive is presently considering the possibility of commissioning a report on the economic impact of sea and inshore angling.

Body Piercing

Campbell Martin (West of Scotland) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14677 by Mr Andy Kerr on 4 March 2005, which public agencies, representative bodies and tattooing and skin and body piercing businesses were consulted during its consultation on the possible tighter regulation of skin and body piercing and when it will publish the outcome of the consultation.

Mr Andy Kerr: The list of stakeholders consulted about the possible tighter regulation of skin and body piercing is included in the analysis of responses document Regulation of Skin and Body Piercing – Analysis of Written Submissions to Consultation . An electronic version can be found at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/cru/ .

  The outcome of the consultation will be published shortly.

Dentistry

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) adults and (b) children have been registered with a dentist in each year since 1985.

Rhona Brankin: Prior to 1 October 1990 patients did not register with a dentist under NHS arrangements. Registration data is therefore not available from 1985 to 1991. The first year for which complete registration data exist is the year ending March 1992.

  Prior to September 1996, adult registrations lapsed after 24 months and child registrations lapsed at the end of the following calendar year, unless the patient returned to the practice. All registrations now lapse after 15 months, unless the patient returns to the practice. This change in registration regulations must be taken into account when interpreting the data, as it impacts on the number of registrations from January 1998 onwards.

  

At 31 March
Number of Children Registered
Number of Adults Registered
Total Number of Patients Registered


1992
620,696
1,864,835
2,485,531


1993
626,645
1,901,623
2,528,268


1994
632,720
1,861,265
2,493,985


1995
623,874
1,849,884
2,473,758


1996
635,945
1,942,469
2,578,414


1997
637,743
2,027,245
2,664,988


1998
710,064
2,034,688
2,744,752


1999
726,124
1,891,328
2,617,452


2000
754,545
1,972,310
2,726,855


2001
743,469
1,969,008
2,712,477


2002
733,743
1,960,605
2,694,348


2003
725,494
1,959,293
2,684,787


2004
716,070
1,935,634
2,651,704



  Source: MIDAS (Management Information and Dental Accounting System).

E.coli

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost is of its public information campaign on the dangers of children contracting E.coli as a result of contact with farm animals, including publicity and promotional materials, and of this, what the cost is of advertising.

Mr Andy Kerr: The E.coli O157 public information campaign has an advertising allocation of £98,477.00 for the financial year 2004-05. Spend to date is £87,209.00, although this may not be the definitive spend figure for this financial year. In addition to this, the campaign has received marketing support costs of £12,644.00. Reconciled figures will not be available until July 2005.

Early Years

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the provision of early years education.

Euan Robson: Scottish ministers are keeping policy on the provision of pre-school education under review.

Early Years

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has undertaken into the long-term benefits of early years education.

Euan Robson: The Scottish Executive consider the outcomes of research when formulating early years policy. Current Scottish Executive research includes the Early Years Longitudinal Study Growing Up in Scotland which is still in its early stages but will develop an evidence base for early years including providing information on the benefits or effects of pre-school education. The Executive has also funded other relevant research such as Review of Childcare and the Development of Children 0-3: Research Evidence and Implications for Out-of-Home Provision by Colwyn Trevarthan of the University of Edinburgh and A Baseline Study of Outcome Indicators for Early Years Policies in Scotland by Fran Wasoff and colleagues at the Centre for Research on Families and Relationships, University of Edinburgh.

  In addition the Executive also takes account of relevant research published by other bodies such as the EPPE study (Effective Provision of Pre-School Education) undertaken by the Institute of Education at the University of London for the Department for Education and Skills in England.

Early Years

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost would be of increasing the provision of free early years education and childcare for every three and four-year-old child to (a) five full days and (b) five half days per week.

Euan Robson: The following table provides calculations for the cost of increasing the provision of free pre-school education.

  

 
Additional Cost (£ Million)


Provision of 3.5 hours per day
£57


Provision of 7 hours per day
£255



  Assumptions Underlying Figures:

  The above figures assume delivery over 33 weeks per year (current provision is for 412.5 hours per year of free pre-school education, i.e. 2.5 hours per weekday over 33 weeks per year).

  The figures given are for the additional cost of increasing provision, i.e. they do not include current expenditure on pre-school education.

  The figures assume that additional provision could be delivered between the local authority, voluntary and private sectors and would not require additional capital costs.

Early Years

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to revise the "Care and Learning for Children: Birth to Three" guidelines produced by Learning Teaching Scotland.

Euan Robson: I launched Birth to Three: Supporting our Youngest Children on 18 January 2005. The guidance was commissioned by the Scottish Executive and produced by Learning and Teaching Scotland following consideration of the responses to the consultation document, Care and Learning for Children Birth to Three , which was issued in 2003. Learning and Teaching Scotland are currently developing additional materials to support the new guidance and these are expected to be issued later this year.

  There are no plans to revise the new guidance.

Education

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why schoolchildren can no longer be placed in hospitals for work experience.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Health and Safety Executive is responsible for legislation and guidance concerning the safety of schoolchildren on work experience. There is no guidance that is specific to the NHS. Schoolchildren continue to be eligible for work experience placements in the NHS and many do so.

Energy

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what involvement it has had in the decision to establish a National Energy Research Network; what the network’s relationship will be with Scottish bodies involved in energy research; what funding the Executive will give to the network; how it will be represented directly, or indirectly, on the board of the network; which of its agencies will be involved with the network and what will be the nature of such involvement, and what potential the network has for the expansion of energy research and related activity in Scotland.

Mr Jim Wallace: This is a UK initiative being led by the Department of Trade and Industry. The process of setting up the UK Energy Research Partnership is still at an early stage and details of the operation of the partnership are as yet undecided. However, all interested bodies including the Scottish Executive will be involved in the process. We will wish to ensure that Scottish bodies, including ITI Energy, have the opportunity to play an active role in the partnership.

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish fishing vessels were inspected to ensure compliance with engine size regulations and how many operators of fishing vessels were prosecuted for infractions in each year since 2000.

Ross Finnie: The registration of engine power is supplied to the Registry of Shipping and Seamen by measurers appointed by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). The MCA’s responsibility is to ensure that the correct maximum continuous engine power (mcep) or where modified, the permanently de-rated power, is registered against each fishing vessel. Details of Scottish vessels whose engines have been checked against registration each year since 2000 are as follows:

  

Year
Under 12
15 – 24 Metre
Over 24 Metre
Total


2000
8
No data
No data
 8


2001
14
63
4
81


2002
16
64
28
 108


2003
No data
97
25
 122


2004
No data
110
26
 136


2005
No data
17
2
19



  Engine power is checked as part of an agreement between MCA and the UK Fisheries Departments and requires checks to be made against the details that have been registered for all vessels. All fishing vessels must be registered with the correct mcep. If there is any disparity, MCA are responsible for checking and ensuring the power is correctly registered.

  Vessels which fall into the survey regime have their engine plate details checked on initial build and thereafter every four or five years depending on the survey regime. In November 2002, vessels between 12 metres and 15 metres length overall (LOA) were no longer required to be surveyed, a consequence of the introduction by MCA of the 15 to 24 metres code.

  However, vessels between 12 metres and 15 metres are now included in the Small Code. The code does not require a survey but all vessels under 15 metres are inspected to ensure that they comply with the code and therefore any engine discrepancy found as a result of an inspection is resolved and the correct power registered.

  No vessel owners have been prosecuted for infringements in relation to registered engine power in any of these years.

Fisheries

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish fishing vessels have licences to fish in West African waters under agreements negotiated through the European Union or the United Kingdom.

Ross Finnie: No Scottish vessels have licences to fish in West African waters under agreements negotiated through the European Union or United Kingdom.

General Practitioners

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17332 by Malcolm Chisholm on 30 August 2001, how many salaried GPs there were in (a) 2002, (b) 2003 and (c) 2004, broken down by NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-15090 on 17 March 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament/webapp/wa.search .

General Practitioners

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many full-time equivalent salaried GPs were required to provide the service level previously provided by GPs who have since opted out of out-of-hours provision under the new contractual arrangements for GPs in each year since the arrangements were established, in total and broken down by NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information to support an answer to this question is not held centrally.

Gulf War Veterans

Campbell Martin (West of Scotland) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many ex-armed services personnel have presented themselves to the NHS citing some form of illness as a result of service in the Gulf War of 1991 and, if it does not have such information, whether it will ensure that action is taken to collate such information in future, including the nature of the illnesses reported, treatments offered and cost to the NHS.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information on the number of ex-armed services personnel who have presented themselves to the NHS citing some form of illness as a result of service in the Gulf War of 1991 is not held centrally.

  The Ministry of Defence is working with the Medical Research Council to determine how recent research into Gulf Veteran’s illnesses can be taken forward on a UK-wide basis.

Health

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) police officers and (b) other public sector workers contracted (i) HIV, (ii) hepatitis B or (iii) hepatitis C following exposure to the bodily fluids of another person as a result of that person committing or allegedly committing an offence in the last year.

Cathy Jamieson: This information is not held centrally.

  For police officers, the Scottish Police Federation has advised that during the year 2003-04 there were 24 incidents (not all of them necessarily involving an alleged offence) following which police officers embarked on a course of post-exposure prophylaxis as a precaution against possible HIV infection. One officer is thought to have been infected with hepatitis B during that period, but none with HIV or hepatitis C.

  Health Protection Scotland would keep records of any such incidents if brought to their attention by health boards. However, they are not aware of any cases over the last 12 months.

Health

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of childhood rickets have been recorded by the NHS in each year since 1960.

Rhona Brankin: Only partial data is centrally held on cases of childhood rickets recorded by the NHS in each year since 1960. Data on the number of cases in people aged 15 and under which were diagnosed in hospital in Scotland, are presented in following table.

  

Year of Admission
Incidence


1981
12


1982
9


1983
5


1984
7


1985
10


1986
7


1987
7


1988
6


1989
6


1990
9


1991
3


1992
3


1993
2


1994
3


1995
2


1996
1


1997
3


1998
4


1999
5


2000
2


2001
6


2002
4


2003
7


2004p
2



  Source: ISD Scotland (SMR01).

  PFigures for 2004 are provisional.

  Data are not available before 1981. Accurate all-Scotland data are not available on cases of rickets in children who were not admitted to hospital.

Hospitals

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any complaints regarding the operation of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, in particular with regard to mixed wards and attendant lack of privacy.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive is committed to eliminating mixed sex wards in all NHS hospitals, and very good progress has been made. All NHS hospital wards in Scotland comply with current guidelines, with the exception of certain areas within the Royal Edinburgh Hospital.

  The Executive is working closely with NHS Lothian to ensure that the Royal Edinburgh Hospital complies fully with the guidelines as soon as possible. We understand from the board that work on three formerly non-compliant wards is now complete, and remedial work on the remaining wards is scheduled for completion next month.

Hospitals

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the review of community hospitals will be concluded.

Mr Andy Kerr: It is planned that a draft strategy on the future of community hospitals will be circulated for consultation during Summer 2005. The final version will be available in April 2006.

Hospitals

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many responses have been submitted to the review of community hospitals and from whom such responses were received.

Mr Andy Kerr: A total of 37 completed and unique replies were received to the Executive’s questionnaire on the current and future role of community hospitals. Replies were received from the following organisations:

  NHS Borders

  NHS Grampian

  NHS Highland

  NHS Dumfries and Galloway

  Ian Charles Hospital

  NHS Ayrshire and Arran

  NHS Grampian

  NHS Lothian

  NHS Grampian

  NHS Orkney

  NHS Argyll and Clyde

  East Lothian Local Health Care Co-operative

  North Glasgow Division of Mental Health

  Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain

  Scottish Ambulance Service

  Association of Scottish Chief Pharmacists

  Scottish Association of Community Hospitals

  NHS Education for Scotland

  Multiple Sclerosis Society Scotland

  Port Ellen Practice

  Strathcarron Hospice

  St.Andrews Memorial Hospital

  NHS Tayside Specialist Palliative Care

  Fife Palliative Care Services

  Marie Curie Cancer Care

  Highland Hospice

  Alzheimer Scotland

  Palliative Care Working Group, NHS Highland

  North East Scotland Cancer Co-ordinating and Advisory Network

  MS Society Scotland

  Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care

  Community health services division, university of Dundee

  Glasgow Caledonian University, Dept of nursing. Midwifery and community health

  Dept of Nursing and Midwifery, Stirling University

  Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh

  Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Justice

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of (a) offenders committing and (b) victims of violent offences have tested positively for alcohol when the offence was committed since 1997, broken down by police force area.

Cathy Jamieson: Information on the number of homicide victims and accused who were reported as being drunk at the time of the offence is given in the table. Similar information in respect of other types of offence is not collected centrally.

  Accused and Victims in Homicide Cases Recorded in Scotland:

  Total Number and Percentage Recorded as Drunk at Time of Homicide, 2000-03

  

Local Authority Area
Accused
Victims


Total Number of Accused
% Recorded as Drunk at Time of Homicide
Total Number of Victims
% Recorded as Drunk at Time of Homicide


Central
17
53
16
57


Dumfries and Galloway
15
46
16
50


Fife
12
58
9
56


Grampian
42
31
33
42


Lothian and Borders
69
53
53
51


Northern
16
25
17
47


Strathclyde
395
46
283
50


Tayside
32
34
24
38


Scotland
598
45
451
50



  Note: Information on the drink level of homicide accused and victims was not collected prior to 2000.

Justice

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether court business will be significantly reduced by an increase in the number of fiscal fines offered to persistent offenders.

Cathy Jamieson: There are no plans to offer fiscal fines to persistent offenders who are on a course of criminal conduct. It is intended, however, to extend the use of fiscal fines and to introduce other alternatives to prosecution that will be appropriately used on the basis of clear guidelines prepared by the Lord Advocate. This will allow our courts to operate more speedily and effectively. Smarter Justice, Safer Communities – Summary Justice Reform Next Steps , published on 22 March 2005, outlines how these penalties will be used. It can be accessed from the Summary Justice Reform website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/about/JD/CP/00019008/Homepage.aspx .

  Copies are also available in the Parliament’s reference centre (Bib. number 35821).

Justice

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that increasing the number of fixed penalty notices issued does not prioritise efficiency over justice.

Cathy Jamieson: We consider that fixed penalty notices, correctly and appropriately used, are an important part of a modern criminal justice system. They offer a quick, proportionate and effective response to a number of instances of minor offending making clear to the offender, and the local community, that such behaviour will not be tolerated. As announced in Smarter Justice, Safer Communities on 22 March 2005, we remain committed in principle to a further extension of the use of fixed penalty notices, with appropriate guidelines and safeguards in place. We will monitor the operation of the antisocial behaviour fixed penalty pilot scheme before reaching any decision to extend their use further.

  The Smarter Justice document can be accessed from the Summary Justice Reform website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/about/JD/CP/00019008/Homepage.aspx.

  Copies are also available in the Parliament’s reference centre (Bib. number 35821).

NHS 24

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13509 by Mr Andy Kerr on 1 February 2005, how many, and what percentage of, calls to NHS 24 failed the call back target for (a) priority one and (b) priority two calls in each year since the establishment of NHS 24, broken down by NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: At all times, all clinically urgent calls are dealt with immediately by NHS 24 nurse advisers. During peak times, less clinically urgent calls are prioritised and receive a call back by a nurse adviser within a specific timescale. All callers who are categorised in this way are advised that should their condition deteriorate or they become concerned they should immediately contact the service again. The number of Priority one (P1) and Priority two (P2) call back calls and the percentage of those for which NHS 24 did not reach the target call back time since its establishment are listed in the table (these figures are not available broken down by NHS board area):

  

 
2002*
2003
2004**
2005*


Total P1 calls
4,049
20,257
42,215
31,586


P1 calls outwith target
45
2,305
6,147
2,317


%age outwith target
1%
11%
15%
7%


Total P2 calls
4,013
27,910
60,529
43,864


P2 calls outwith target
408
8,702
20,617
7,705


%age outwith target
10%
31%
34%
18%



  Notes:

  *NHS 24 was launched on 8 May 2002.

  **Call back standard for Priority 1 calls changed from 30 minutes to 60 minutes from November 2004. Call back standard for Priority 2 calls changed from 60 minutes to 120 minutes from December 2004.

  ***Figures available for January and February 2005.

  It should also be borne in mind that NHS 24 did not roll out to the whole of Scotland until November 2004, so these figures over each year are not yet comparable.

  The rationale for changes in call back targets for Priority 1 and Priority 2 calls, which were agreed by NHS 24’s Executive Team in December 2004, related to risk management balancing clinical appropriateness, managing demand and available resources. NHS 24’s Executive Team agreed that, subject to appropriate clinical prioritisation and on-going monitoring and review of the call back queue, the clinical cases in Priority 2 could safely be clinically assessed within two hours. All calls awaiting call back are regularly reviewed by experienced nursing staff and can be re-prioritised based on clinical need.

  The review of NHS 24 which was announced in February will identify performance improvements to ensure that it realises its full potential in delivering high quality services for patient. The use of call back and how it can be reduced is part of the NHS 24 review team’s remit.

Prison Service

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the robustness of the inspectorate regime in prisons.

Cathy Jamieson: We have confidence in the work of HM Inspectorate of Prisons.

Residential Care

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when guidance on infection control standards in adult care homes will be published.

Mr Andy Kerr: These standards were published on 14 March. Copies are available through the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 35891) or on the internet at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/health/icach-00.asp .

School Meals

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost of a single school meal under its free school meals programme was in each of the last five years and what the projected average cost will be for each of the next five years.

Euan Robson: 1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04


£1.69
£1.65
£1.63
£1.57
£1.57



  The cost of school meals in the future is a matter for individual local authorities. Authorities are provided with funding to administer their school meals service, but the Scottish Executive does not specify how much of this resource should be targeted on the cost or subsidy of individual meals. It is up to authorities to decide what they charge, and costs can vary greatly between authorities, depending on individual purchasing requirements and economies of scale.

School Meals

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost was of its free school meals programme in each of the last five years; what the projected total cost is for each of the next five years, and what the cost would be if the take-up rate was 100% of pupils entitled to a free school meal.

Euan Robson: Free school meals are provided by local authorities. The estimated total cost to local authorities of free school meals for the last five years was as follows: £33.4 million in 1999-2000; £29.3 million in 2000-01; £28.7 million in 2001-02; £27.5 million in 2002-03, and £29 million in 2003-04. The Scottish Executive does not make projections regarding the cost of free school meals for future years. Cost per meal figures are based on the total gross expenditure by authorities on school meals divided by the total number of school meals provided, and are irrespective of whether a meal is paid for or free. Costs would not therefore change if free school meal uptake was 100%.

School Meals

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many primary and secondary pupils are entitled to free school meals, expressed also as a percentage of the total school population.

Euan Robson: The information requested is given in the Scottish Executive National Statistics Publication, School Meals in Education Authority Schools 2003-04 which was published on 30 June 2004. Copies of the publication are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre or on the Scottish Executive website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00347-00.asp .

School Meals

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will encourage a greater take-up rate of free school meals amongst those pupils entitled to them.

Euan Robson: Statutory provision exists to ensure children from lowest income families receive free school meals. The Scottish Executive continues to invest in the Hungry for Success programme in order to revitalise the school meals system for all pupils, whether or not they receive free school meals, and to provide a high quality and attractive service which eliminates stigma and which children and young people will actively choose in preference to less healthy alternatives. As a result of Hungry for Success, school meals are more nutritious, dining surroundings more inviting and food culture better connected to the curriculum to enable children to learn about healthy eating for life.

School Meals

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much income local authorities made from the sale of school meals in each of the last five years and what the projected income from schools meals is for local authorities in each of the next five years.

Euan Robson: The income that local authorities received from school meals in the last five years is shown in the following table:

  

Year
Total Income (£000)


1999-2000
34,423


2000-01
32,052


2001-02
33,904


2002-03
40,351


2003-04
42,850



  Figures are not available for the next five years as local authorities have the autonomy to vary charges for school meals and their income would be likely to fluctuate on the basis of any variations.

School Meals

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of its block grant was spent on providing free school meals in each of the last five years and what proportion it estimates will be spent on free school meals in each of the next five years.

Euan Robson: The Scottish Executive provides local authorities with funding to administer their school meals service, but does not specify how much of this resource should be targeted on the costs or subsidy of meals. The estimated total cost of free school meals for the last five years was as follows: £33.4 million in 1999-2000; £29.3 million in 2000-01; £28.7 million in 2001-02; £27.5 million in 2002-03, and £29 million in 2003-04. The Executive does not make projections regarding the cost of free school meals for future years.

School Meals

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it issues to local authorities regarding (a) accommodating children with food allergies on school trips and (b) strategies for dealing with children suffering from peanut allergies.

Euan Robson: The Scottish Executive does not at present issue national guidance for local authorities on accommodating children with food allergies on school trips.

  Likewise, the Executive does not issue national guidance for dealing with children suffering from peanut allergies. However, Hungry for Success, the Executive’s school food programme founded in the recommendations of the Expert Group on School Meals, encourages local authorities to accommodate the diets of individual children with special nutritional requirements such as peanut allergies at no additional expense to the child.

School Meals

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are in place for involving parents in developing strategies for education authorities to cater appropriately for children with food allergies.

Euan Robson: The Executive does not currently direct local authorities to adopt any specific procedure in relation to children with food allergies. However, under the philosophy and practice of Hungry for Success, the Executive’s school food programme founded in the recommendations of the Expert Group on School Meals, schools and authorities are encouraged to adopt a whole-school approach to food and to include parents and children in their consultation processes. Authorities are also encouraged to accommodate the diets of individual children with special nutritional requirements such as a peanut allergies at no additional expense to the child.

Scottish Executive Advertising

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on advertising in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) department and (b) project or campaign.

Mr Tom McCabe: I refer the member to the answer to question S1W-26485 on 3 July 2002 providing information on advertising spend by the Scottish Office/Scottish Executive Departments from 1991-92 to 2001-02.

  For information on the Scottish Executive’s advertising spend for 2002-2003 by Department and campaign please see answer S2W-1857 answered on 5 September 2003 and S2W-2481 answered on 22 September 2003.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

  Scottish Executive advertising spend for 2003-2004 by department by campaign is detailed in the following table:

  

Department
Spend


Development Department
 


Domestic Abuse
£355,276.00


Race
£510,532.00


Total
£865,808.00


Education Department
 


Care 
£480,232.00


Child Protection on the Internet
£99,339.00


Children’s Hearings
£217,159.00


Home Reading
£155,741


Total
£952,471.00


Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning
 


Broadband
£213,337.00


Drink Driving
£219,572.00


Drug Driving
£307,345.00


Foolsspeed
£410,900.00


Road Safety (WHO)
£1,834.00


Regional Selective Assistance (RSA)
£78,595.00


Travel Awareness
£265,928.00


Young Driver
 £62,932.00


Total
£1,560,443.00


Environment and Rural Affairs
 


Cattle Tracing
£56,171.00


Environment
£574,134.00


SEERAD
£30,497.00


Total
£660,802.00


Finance and Central Services
 


Digital Scotland
£240,498.00


Dog Fouling
£72,303.00


Festival Fringe
£24,168.00


Total
£336,969.00


Health 
 


Alcohol
£833,140.00


Breathing Space
£85,470.00


Drug Misuse
£909,730.00


Flu / Pneumoccocal
£498,509.00


Healthy Living 
£1,859,208.00


Organ Donation
£143,859.00


Total
£4,329,916.00


Justice
 


Fire
£326,528.00


Re-offending
£25,804.00


Safer Scotland
£259,299.00


Total
£611,631.00


Executive wide (over all campaigns)
£14,100.00


Overall Total
£9,332,140.00

Scottish Executive Advertising

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive which individuals and agencies it has used in its advertising campaigns and what payments have been made to them in each year since 1999.

Mr Tom McCabe: The information requested is not held by the Scottish Executive. Actors and agencies are sub-contracted by the advertising agencies on the Scottish Executive contract.

Scottish Executive Advertising

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive which media have been used in its advertising campaigns, including newspapers, magazines, radio and TV channels, in each year since 1999 and how much money each has received.

Mr Tom McCabe: The information in the form requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Executive and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  Media types which have been used by the Scottish Executive for the financial years 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 are detailed in the following table.

  

Financial Year
Media Type
Spend


2002-03
TV
£4,459,346


Radio
£971,078


Cinema
£271,506


Press
£2,548,381


Outdoor
£1,174,007


Research
£489,027


Production
£3,368,052


Total
£13,281,397


2003-04
TV
£1,697,276


Radio
£1,327,358


Cinema
£143,288


Press
£2,119,146


Outdoor
£1,436,217


Research
£396,435


Production
£2,212,420


Total
£9,332,140

Sectarianism

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that institutional sectarianism in Scotland damages the international image of the country and the Executive’s efforts to promote Scotland abroad.

Cathy Jamieson: We are not aware of evidence suggesting sectarianism damages Scotland’s image abroad. However, any issue which could portray Scotland negatively is of concern and we are committed to tackling sectarian bigotry however it manifests itself.

Sectarianism

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussions with the Northern Ireland Office about the lessons to be learned from the Northern Irish experience of tackling sectarianism.

Cathy Jamieson: We have had a number of discussions with the Northern Ireland Office, the office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister for Northern Ireland and other organisations in Northern Ireland involved in tackling sectarianism. While we recognise that there are significant differences between the Scottish and Northern Irish experiences of sectarianism, we also recognise that good ideas can be adapted and, for example, this has contributed to the development of Executive initiatives such as the recently launched anti-sectarian education resource.

Sectarianism

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will undertake a study into the monitoring of crimes on the basis of sectarian aggravation.

Cathy Jamieson: The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service published an analysis of the first six months of the operation of Section 74 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 on 11 November 2004. The report is available on the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service website http://www.crownoffice.gov.uk/publications/invrepofsect.doc . We are committed to building on this and to developing information in this area and are currently looking at how best to achieve this.

Sectarianism

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made towards implementing the recommendations of the Working Group on Religious Hatred.

Cathy Jamieson: The Report of the Cross-Party Working Group on Religious Hatred  (published on 5 December 2002 and found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/society/trhr-00.asp ) and the 12 recommendations made in it, have been central to the development of work to tackle sectarian bigotry in Scotland. An Update on the Recommendations of the Cross-Party Working Group on Religious Hatred was published on 28 June 2004 and can be found at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/social/cpwgrh-00.asp .

  Six of the recommendations have been fully implemented. Work is being taken forward to implement the remaining six longer term recommendations as an integral part of the Executive’s wider work on tackling sectarianism.

Sport

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to increase swimming facilities in, and for, schools in order for all primary school children to have the opportunity to learn to swim.

Patricia Ferguson: The Executive provides significant support for capital investment by local authorities through capital grants and support for borrowing. It is up to each local authority to determine its own asset management and capital investment programmes according to local needs and priorities.

  Funding may also be available for specific facility projects through sportscotland’s Building for Sport programme. Since its inception in May 2004 there have been three awards for swimming pools as listed in the following table.

  

Scottish Borders Council
Eyemouth Leisure Centre Development Project

£300,000



Orkney Islands Council 
Pierowall Swimming Pool Upgrade and Healthy Living Centre
£200,000


Highland Council
Portree New Community High School – Swimming Pool
£300,000


 
 
£800,000

Sport

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive which locations are still under active consideration for the relocation of  sportscotland’s headquarters and when it expects to reach a decision on the matter.

Patricia Ferguson: To ensure future negotiations with property developers or landlords are not compromised, and to make sure the staff of  sportscotland and unions are the first to know the outcome, there will be no announcement of locations under consideration until ministers have made their final decision. An announcement is expected by ministers before summer recess.

Sport

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken on its commitment to monitor and evaluate whether sport programmes are high-quality and effective and cover all the agencies involved, as referred to in Let’s Make Scotland More Active.

Patricia Ferguson: The Executive is committed to the continuous evaluation and monitoring of programmes to ensure that they are effective and are of high quality.

  Sportscotland has developed an Evaluation Strategy which aims to:

  ensure that adequate systems are in place to evaluate sportscotland’s investments in sport in Scotland;

  ensure that the work of sportscotland is informed by sound, objective and independent evaluations;

  ensure that necessary resources and experience are available to evaluate the functions of sportscotland, and

  outline an initial plan for evaluating sportscotland’s investment in sport for 2003-07.

  Integral monitoring and evaluation of Active Schools arrangements will focus on the number of teachers, coaches and leaders involved in delivery and participation numbers across all age groups. An independent evaluation has also been commissioned.